How often should the landlord visit?

melorablack

How often is normal or acceptable for a landlord to "inspect" a property he is renting out?

Wench

We're privately renting and the LL said he'd visit every 3 months, havent seen him once tho.

At my last property which was controlled by agents, the inspection was every 3 months also.

So I think 3 months between visits is acceptable.

alunharford

With the tenant's permission: Fine.
Without: Certainly not!

The tenant is required to allow the landlord or his agents access to inspect the condition of the bits he's required to maintain (eg. getting a gas safety certificate).

alunharford

Wench wrote: »

So I think 3 months between visits is acceptable.

If my landlord tried that I would be demanding money off the rent as I clearly wouldn't have exclusive access rights to the property.

Not on.

melorablack

Our tenancy agreement stated on 01/11/2008.

Landlord visited in December 2008 to take an inventory of what was in the house.
2nd visit was in January after we complained about damp in the house.
3rd visit in February to re-seal around the bath.
4th & 5th visits in March to put insulation in the loft and do another "inspection".
6th visit in April to remove some of the furniture that was already in the house that she decided shouldn't be there.
7th visit in May to re-hang the doors
8th and 9th visits in June to rehang the doors again and bring round some of her furniture she has decided should be in our house.

Now she wants to come round again in July to do another inspection. I don't mind her coming round but I can't relax especially because she expects the house to be spotless everytime.

She has also said that before her next visit she expects us to remove any "redundant" furniture from the house (our spare room has some tables and chairs in it that my OH's mum asked us to store until she has room for them.)

shelovestobuystuff

Every 6 months seems fine to me unless he has a reason for access more than that,repairs etc and only then with prior permission from you.
I had a landlord once who kept a key(dont think they are meant to)and had been letting himself in when we were out.We were wondering why the dog was getting a bit aggrivated and why the chime I had hanging from the door was broken.Looked like he had let himself in,the dog had got out of the kitchen and ran at him and he had got the chime stuck in the door in his hurry to get out.
We got an extra door chain after that which he didnt have a key for.
He then complained that we had put on extra locks and he couldnt access for manitenance,repairs etc.I told him he shouldnt be trying to get in without permision and his reply was very angry,basically it was his house and he could do what he liked when he liked.Needless to say we didnt stay long after that.

melorablack

shelovestobuystuff wrote: »

Every 6 months seems fine to me unless he has a reason for access more than that,repairs etc and only then with prior permission from you.
I had a landlord once who kept a key(dont think they are meant to)and had been letting himself in when we were out.We were wondering why the dog was getting a bit aggrivated and why the chime I had hanging from the door was broken.Looked like he had let himself in,the dog had got out of the kitchen and ran at him and he had got the chime stuck in the door in his hurry to get out.
We got an extra door chain after that which he didnt have a key for.
He then complained that we had put on extra locks and he couldnt access for manitenance,repairs etc.I told him he shouldnt be trying to get in without permision and his reply was very angry,basically it was his house and he could do what he liked when he liked.Needless to say we didnt stay long after that.

lol :rotfl: serves him right!

Landlord keeps saying that "if your not in when workmen are coming round I will let them in" and we keep having to tell her, "No you won't".

I wouldn't mind about the visists except that things like the damp and some other problems with the back door which we told them about when we moved in are still not sorted. Cheeky b**** :mad:

charliee_3

melorablack wrote: »

6th visit in April to remove some of the furniture that was already in the house that she decided shouldn't be there.

8th and 9th visits in June to rehang the doors again and bring round some of her furniture she has decided should be in our house.

Now she wants to come round again in July to do another inspection. I don't mind her coming round but I can't relax especially because she expects the house to be spotless everytime.

She has also said that before her next visit she expects us to remove any "redundant" furniture from the house (our spare room has some tables and chairs in it that my OH's mum asked us to store until she has room for them.)

this is totally out of order!! she cant keep coming round and telling you what furniture should or shouldnt be in the house... yes she owns it, but it is your home and you have right to peaceful occupation of it which means as long as you look after it and any furniture you are responsible for then you can do whatever you like in there pretty much.. id say unless you have called them to fix something then coming round more than once every 6 months i too often... and though you probably want it to be tidy, as long as you arent damaging it she has no right to demand it be cleaned every time.. sound like she is very nervous of having people in 'her' house

grrr.. she sounds like a nightmare.. well meaning maybe but doesnt get the whole LL thing at all..

catpea33

Yeah, I'd say that was out of order too. You're renting and can have whatever furniture you like in that house. As for the frequent visits, I think I'd go mad. How are you expected to relax when she pops in every month? My current landlord is brilliant. I've seen him three times in two years; once when he introduced himself back in 2007, another time about a year ago when he had received a 'final notice' council tax bill he thought was mine (it was actually his for the period the flat was unoccupied prior to me moving in), and a few months ago when he was removing weeds that were growing near the damp course and doing some maintenance (he never came in - just out in the front garden). That's the quiet enjoyment you are also entitled to! Is she giving you notice or just popping round when she feels like it?

Cat

olly300

melorablack wrote: »

How often is normal or acceptable for a landlord to "inspect" a property he is renting out?

As little as possible.

They need to make excuses in the first 3 months to inspect the property but after that if they can see the property is clean and tidy etc they have no reason to accept to fix something or do the gas certificate.

Even then if the landlord has a known handyman the landlord doesn't need to turn up at all.

Fire_Fox

melorablack wrote: »

Our tenancy agreement stated on 01/11/2008.

Landlord visited in December 2008 to take an inventory of what was in the house.
2nd visit was in January after we complained about damp in the house.
3rd visit in February to re-seal around the bath.
4th & 5th visits in March to put insulation in the loft and do another "inspection".
6th visit in April to remove some of the furniture that was already in the house that she decided shouldn't be there.
7th visit in May to re-hang the doors
8th and 9th visits in June to rehang the doors again and bring round some of her furniture she has decided should be in our house.

Now she wants to come round again in July to do another inspection. I don't mind her coming round but I can't relax especially because she expects the house to be spotless everytime.

She has also said that before her next visit she expects us to remove any "redundant" furniture from the house (our spare room has some tables and chairs in it that my OH's mum asked us to store until she has room for them.)

An inventory taken after you have moved in is next to useless!! The landlady can't remove furniture that forms part of the contract (because it was there when you viewed/ signed contracts) nor add different furniture nor tell you what furniture you can and cannot keep in the house.

You have a right to 'quiet enjoyment' which means your landlady can only come in for essential repairs and for occasional inspections with written notice and at a mutually convenient time. Put this into writing as she sounds like a total amateur. :rolleyes:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/eviction/harassment_and_illegal_eviction/what_counts_as_harassment#1